This past week's warming trend has improved the flats fishing considerably from last week. Water temps as high as 62 degrees were recorded Saturday.
Most folks who were successful fished live shrimp under Cajun Thunders in 2 - 4 feet of water while a few fished MirrOlure Catch 2000's in 3 - 4 feet to land trout and reds.
Grouper were eager to please as most folks who went got a limit on dead bait, live bait, well really.. most anything you put down there.
Here's some folks who went and had some great fun at Keaton Beach over the holiday weekend!
Rachel and H.G Walker of Albany, Ga. had two nice reds and 8 trout all just under 20 inches long. The Walkers were fishing with live shrimp under Cajun Thunders in 2.5 ft. of water Friday. Saturday this Albany couple landed nine trout and 2 reds which were 21 inches long. They saw no reason to change what was working and fished live shrimp under Cajuns again!
Saturday,Herb and Sherry Davis of Keaton Beach had four trout, one six pounder, and a seven pound redfish while fishing with live shrimp under Cajuns in 2 - 3 feet of water. Sunday, the Davises had nine trout and Sherry had a 22.5 inch red. Same bait, under Cajuns.
Bill Basta of Newberry, Florida caught a 5.75 lb. trout, Friday and a 4 lb. one Saturday on his favorite lure( a gold Bill Lewis "Slapstick") while wading from the corner at the "beach." You will recalll this is the youhng man who caught the trout over 8 pounds last spring wading from Keaton's beach.
Captain Edward Thomas, of TGIF charters, had Lester and Michael Thomas (kin?) of Live Oak, Fl. out for their limit of trout in 5 - 6 feet of water using "jigs/lures"?
Keith Watson, Brett Rodgers, and Greg Denley of Valdosta, Ga. had 12 trout Thursday, using MirrOlure's Catch 2000's in several colors, while fishing in 2 - 3 feet of water.
Alan Smith and I had three nice trout, in three hours, from 3.5 feet of water, Sunday, fishing with Catch 2000's in the 808 color pattern.
Offshore Jimmy Kennedy (Someday Charters) and Brad Kennedy had 8 grouper with "five over fifteen pounds" using Sardines and squid, in 61 feet of water, Saturday.
Richard and Andy Nolin, of Lake City, Fl. with Jerry Israel of Valdosta, Ga. had their limit of grouper with "10 (ten) over fifteen pounds!" Gosh boys, you need to get us some pictures of that fine of a box of fish! The Nolin boat trolled Mann's Stretch Thirty plus plugs and fished with frozen Sp. Sardines to bring in their fine haul of grouper Saturday!
Kit, Keith, Michelle, Ty and Cole Wilkes, with Gary Jenkins, all from Moultrie, Ga. had three great days on the water offshore at Keaton Beach and brought back 20 grouper using dead bait in 48 feet of water.
Captain Richard Carrr on board "Renegade" with Ken Carr and David Jenkins of Fayettville, Ga. had a limit of grouper in two hours, Thursday, from 60 feet of water.
Joel and Tracie Singletary of Keaton Beach Marina went with Cathy and Tim McGregor and brought in three grouper from 30 feet of water while using "dead bait" Thursday.
Sam and Sandy Register took Frank and Chelsa Woodall plus Charlie Dilks out and caught a box full of Black Sea Bass and Pink Mouth Grunts, and had two nice gag grouper as well, Friday. They fished, yep, in 45 feet of water, with Spanish Sardines?
Jerry and Karen Combs with Josh O'Carroll and Victor Buehler of Bellview, Fl. had 150 BIG Black Sea Bass from 45 feet of water, on squid ...of course!
-- Pat McGriff
